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South Lake Village Center’s Construction Plan Set for Spring Arrival

by Vernon Miles December 5, 2018 at 2:30 pm 77 Comments

Updated 11:20 — The Ping-Pong Tables were removed, from the project and the story.

Construction on new upgrades for the South Lakes Village Center could be coming next year.

The upgrades proposed by the Chevy Chase Land Company were approved by the Reston Association Design Review Board in June. Plans include upgrades like an amphitheater and a fire pit.

The upgrades are planned to help turn the aging commercial center into a local destination, though earlier this year residents nearby said they were concerned that the upgrades could lead to increased noise levels and vandalism.

Idrissa Sesay, assistant property manager of South Lakes Village Center, told Reston Now in an email that the company is still working on a construction timeline.

“Our marketing director informed me that we are working on the construction timeline now, but hoping to have [the construction timeline] complete this coming spring,” Sesay wrote.

According to the Design Review Board’s approval, the upgrades would add also add a bicycle rack and a bike repair station to make the area more bike accessible.

Photos via Chevy Chase Land Company
This story has been updated

  • Anonymous Poster

    Remember, the big issue is that the TEENS from the HIGH SCHOOL might use this area after school! We need more adult-only areas that definitely won’t make any noise for the NIMBYs around the lake!

    • Rational Reston

      Teens and ping-pong is a mixture that has taken down many societies, we certainly dodged a bullet there.

  • obxers

    That’s right… add ping pong tables and the crowds will come.
    ????

    • Why do you bother?

      Anybody wanna set up NBA-style brackets to guess how long it will be before the surface of the lake is covered in ping-pong balls?

  • Mike M

    ” . . .bicycle rack and a bike repair station to make the area more bike accessible.”
    LOL!

    I never understood how all this stuff would fit in such a small space. Has any of this worked anywhere before? There is a perceived ROI in this, but I just don’t see it. Are there subsidies or tax breaks in the mix?

    • Scott

      Seriously. The obsession with biking is mind-numbingly ignorant. A bike rack doesn’t make an area more accessible, just as bike lanes don’t make more people bike instead of driving, no matter how much local government do-good-niks want to think so. The other day, I finally saw a biker on soapstone and snapped a pic(below). You’ll notice he isn’t in the bike lane. SMH
      #whyhavebikelanes
      #wasteofmoney
      #whyistrafficworse

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5ecab02859a52991379d537588d67465176b26f1bed846844a9c61beff4d2881.jpg

      • JohnQPublic

        OMG….the cyclist is 6inches this side of the white bike lane line. Oh the humanity. Scofflaws they are. Riding in the road even though they legally can is so ….wrong. If you want cyclists to ride in the lane, then lobby VDOT to clear the lane of debris that falls off of cars and etc which in turn could cause them to crash and get run over. Else stop complaining.

        Bike racks: OMG….imagine offering up a place to lock one’s bike up. God forbid it take up a parking spot. Then I’ll have to look at 12 bikes instead of one car.

        Bike station: Why can’t they put in a water fountain instead with one that allows me to fill a dish for my dog or even better a trash can. That’s a better use of the same space.

        Hatred corrodes the container that it’s carried in.

        • Scott

          You should probably reread my post John. I said nothing about legalities. That said, nothing you wrote supports the existing of Bike lanes. Few people bike and as documented, those that do, don’t use the lanes. So why have them? And if your excuse is that it’s unsafe for bikes to use the bike lanes due to leaves and car debris that occurs from normal road use, well, then that REALLY suggests that they have no place here.
          But since you brought up legalities, let’s not suggest that bikers give a sh*t about the law. Bikers demand equal status on the roads, but then ignore that status and the laws that come with it when it’s not convenient.
          Finally, we have bike lanes on all roads intersecting South Lakes Plaza and there is already a bike rack on the corner right outside Starbucks. It is never short on space. People don’t bike b/c it is an unrealistic idea for 98% of people.
          Give up your hatred for logic and those who use it. Bike lanes do not achieve their stated goal and no about of attempted government social engineering is going to change that, especially in the suburbs. Bike Lanes are stupid and are only outdone by the Leslie Knopeish government types who think painting a made-up icon on the roads (Sharrows) will magically make people drop their car keys and pick up a bike helmet.

        • Why do you bother?

          Irony: You don’t has it.

          • Greg

            I see it in at least two versions. And, of course, it’s yet more proof of what many others have said about bicyclists.

        • Mike M

          LOL! Please, keep posting! Your “argument” is the BS pro-bike argument in a nutshell:
          1) We always want and expect more government intervention for our tiny minority interests.
          2) When we get what we want, it’s not enough, because because, because, because . . .
          3) Don’t like our taking from you for our minority interest, you are a hater!
          Please! Keep posting!

          • JohnQPublic

            The sky is blue.

            Argument in 1….2….3….Go!

            “Hatred corrodes the container that it’s carried in.”

          • Mike M

            Hate? I hate selfishness. Is that OK? As for the rest of your “point” . . .maybe you should explain it to the rest of us.

          • JohnQPublic

            Selfishness. Now that’s a good one “Mr I want only cars on the roads” or is it “Mr I want Reston to stop growing cuz I like the way it is.”

          • Mike M

            JohnQP: Yeah, I got my bike lanes, but now I want excuses to infringe on what’s left after I stole a lane from drivers. I will NEVER be satisfied!

            John, Did you know our roads were all built entirely for automobiles? I don’t care what happens to Reston. I am almost done with it. But unlike you, I am intelligent enough to see there is a massive infrastructure debt coming due for the recent development orgy. I hope you pay it.

      • Why do you bother?

        I saw my THIRD bicyclist yesterday on South Lakes since this goatbolt started. I have lost count of the number of times I’ve been nearly sideswiped by cars suddenly veering into the left lane without looking when the right lane abruptly ends.

        But this makes the road safer?? I’ve got some swampland in Nevada…

      • jak12354

        As someone who uses a bike as my primary mode of transportation around Reston, the bike lanes do make it easier for me to get around and make it easier for me to encourage others to do it as well.

        As for what you’re seeing there, you’ll notice that the bike lane is littered with wet leaves and sticks, all of which could result in injury to the cyclist. They are wisely staying as close to the bike lane/shoulder as they can without risking injury.

        • Greg

          Really? Do bicyclists (wisely?) prefer to run over some wet leaves or get run over?

          And, of course, as Reston is a national tree city carved out of dense woodlands, why on earth would anyone imagine that bike lanes built therein would be free of leaves and sticks falling from the nearby trees year round?

          • JohnQPublic

            This is why bicyclists fight tooth and nail. So fitting this guy gets into an accident. I’m sure Greg, MikeM and other bike haters will have some pithy comments.

            BTW….restonnow is now moderating this comment section. Boo!

            https://www.lep.co.uk/news/watch-motorist-tells-cyclist-he-can-drive-safely-while-on-his-phone-then-crashes-into-another-car-1-9485062?fbclid=IwAR3j_AgmjfbNcYDL7mpc76KLbLJAKOppS0D-mUtLbWGM6YbhSXT3ISCCok0

          • Greg

            Again with your ad hominems. For shame.

            No one said they hate bikes but you.

            If you acted like an adult, you would not need moderation.

          • JohnQPublic

            Oh please……the bike vitriol you and your ilk spread here every time something bike comes up is over the top. That and anti-Hudgins, anti=growth, anti-change. Do you like anything but restonnow comment section.

            I bet none of you leave your basement to actually go and converse at public hearings, meetings etc.

            It’s a rack and a workstand proposal. Get over it.

            And I stand corrected….I failed to hit post.

          • Greg

            You are so, so wrong.

            And the hate emanating from all of your posts speaks volumes about no one but you.

        • Scott

          Don’t necessarily disagree, but again, none of this supports Bike Lanes existing, especially in South Reston.
          1. Almost no one uses them.
          2. You can’t say Bike Lanes are safe and not safe in the same post.

          3. If the presence of leaves is dangerous, the bike lanes gotta go NOW. South Reston is literally a mature deciduous forest. Leaves are a way of life here.

          Further, when there were two lanes of traffic, the leaves were naturally cleared by cars. Bikes could be in one travel lane and cars could safely pass in the other. Now, we have only one travel lane and the bikes are still using it, leaving the designated “safe” but “not safe” bike lane empty. Remember, the whole justification for bike lanes is biker safety and now, you, a biker is saying that bike lanes in South Reston are NOT safe due to leaves.

          This is getting more ridiculous with every post.

          • Why do you bother?

            Ok, so you may be one of the THREE cyclists I’ve seen on SLD. Do you really think that the potential for significant car accidents is worth making biking safer for a handful of people?

            this was intended to be a reply to jak12354, not Scott…Sorry, Scott.

          • cRAzy

            Agree on few users of bike lanes. In past two months, I’ve seen fewer than one dozen people using the bike lanes and three people riding bikes on the paths next to South Lakes Drive.

            Was that worth the few million spent on painting the lanes?

          • Greg

            I am not sure it cost a few million to paint the lanes (it is government, so maybe it cost more). But whatever the cost, the answer is no.

          • cRAzy

            It cost the county $500K (yes, $500,000) to build 500′ of sidewalk along Sunrise Valley Dr. I can’t imagine it cost less than $1MM to do the SLDr bike lanes–plus those for other bike lanes in south Reston.

          • Greg

            Could be more…

            And, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed, there’s a big crash, or those pesky leaves and sticks cause an accident. It will cost the county and commonwealth millions to settle the case.

          • Why do you bother?

            for me, it’s not about cost. It’s about stupidity and vastly increasing the potential for vehicle crashes for no legitimate reason. You don’t eliminate half of a roadway for a handful of people.

          • JohnQPublic

            No money spent painting the bike lanes. It’s a single fixed price contract to repave and paint….regardless of double yellow, white curb lane, cross walks or bike lanes. That argument holds no water.

          • Greg

            Really? What’s your source?

          • JohnQPublic

            VDOT and FCDOT. Fixed price contract.

          • Greg

            That’s not a citation.

            Fail.

          • JohnQPublic

            Greg: What’s your source?
            JQP: VDOT and FCDOT
            Greg: That’s not a citation. Translation: I don’t believe you.

            Grow a head. If you want ….email or go to a meeting and ask. That’s what I did.

            What a bunch of d#[email protected] !

          • Greg

            Curse often? Yet another sign of your many troubles.

      • LisaR

        Seriously why the constant anti-bike complaining? Why isn’t the cyclist in the bike lane? Maybe there is debris. Maybe there is glass. Maybe he doesn’t feel safe there. He is NOT REQUIRED TO BE IN A BIKE LANE. Which you would know if you spent any time becoming educated on traffic laws. Instead you and the trolls ignorantly complain and moan with worn out childish statements. Grow up.

        • Greg

          Starting with “[s]eriously”?

          No one here has complained about bikes.

          As usual, and right on time (a day or two late), she steps in with her predictable caustic, vile commentary and whiny complaining.

          How did I phrase it the other day? Rude and arrogant? I was being kind.

          We spend millions taking away half of a busy roadway for a bike lane for bikers who are not required to be in the bike lane. Then there are the millions of dollars wasted on bike-share bikes that are rarely ridden. Madness.

          Did you not get the message, LIsaR that HHNHH?

          #doomed.

          • JohnQPublic

            No one here has complained about bikes? Isn’t that your middle name Greg along w/ MikeM and other Russian….I mean Reston Trolls.

            The only thing you pick on more is Supervisor Hudgins. Wondering how many of you have actually taken the time to talk to her about your ‘concerns’ …. and I mean actually ride your bike over to her office and have a 1 v 1.

            Wait that means leaving your basements and your keyboard. Forget I mentioned it.

            You may not like her views but she’s a very nice carrying person. Case in point: A resident of HM who has fought long and hard to bring sidewalks to areas that need them was hit by a car as luck would have it crossing a street. He was 75 and still had plenty of years ahead of him. She attended his memorial service. Know them, I’m pretty sure they didn’t agree on politics but she put that aside to address the concerns he raised and showed her appreciation by being there for him.

            Hatred corrodes the container that it’s carried in.

          • JohnQPublic

            As fate would have it … not luck.

          • Greg

            Talk to yourself often?

          • JohnQPublic

            Better company than the comment section on RestonNow as evident from comments like this…. #havetogetlastword

          • Greg

            You are free to leave any time. The sooner the better.

          • JackBPrivate

            It’s so sad that children like MikeM, Greg, and “how many years in reston?” to sit in their basement of their mom’s house and whine whine whine and spew hate in the comments section of a local website. Looking at their post count, that’s about all they do. And that says everything you need to know about these people.

          • Greg

            Bully much?

          • JohnQPublic

            It’s a free country.

          • Greg

            Oh, is it? What other fairy tales and fantasies do you believe?

            S/he who has no better retorts than bullying. For shame.

          • Greg

            Your reading comprehension is poor.

            As is your use of metaphors.

        • cRAzy

          If bicyclists are not required to be in the bike lane, are auto drivers required to be in the auto lane? If so, why?

  • Lauren

    Try fixing the parking lot before adding fancy signs nobody cares about.

  • TRS

    I avoid the area because of parking and have migrated toward the Wiehle Metro — you’ll find a deli with great Korean fare; a FedEx/UPS; Founding Farmers for brunch/lunch/dinner; Starbucks; a CVS will soon be there and Wegmans is coming just a stone’s throw away. Why bother with South Lakes?

    • Ming

      Because South Lakes is actually a very walkable center for many Restonians. Who in the world wants to engage in the nonsense known as Wiehle Metro and their dumbass parking scheme?

      • Kristen

        Agree – it should not be a “one or the other” situation with these commerce areas. They all have something different to offer Reston residents and should be updated to remain interesting and easy to access. Metro is definitely not an option for walking, unless you prefer your scenery to be speeding cars, tail lights and dangerous crosswalks. If we ignore all the older shopping centers because we have shiny new ones, we end up with what happened at Tall Oaks. I applaud the efforts to update in a tasteful way. I am glad they abandoned the ping pong idea though, all I kept imagining was missing paddles and balls thrown in the lake – we can’t have nice things! haha.

      • TRS

        It’s an easy walk. And parking is validated by merchants.

    • Why do you bother?

      You’re finding free parking at Metro??? After 7 a.m.?

      • TRS

        Validated

    • Greg

      Where is a “stone’s-throw away” Wegman’s planned?

      • Scott

        It’s not a stone’s-throw from Wiehle metro, but it’s going in at Reston Crescent, bound by the toll road, sunrise valley and Reston pkwy. It’s to the west of reston pkwy- the parcel that is behind the buildings that currently house CDW and Ellucian.
        FTR, this place will be a total sh*t show for traffic and parking. “Modern” design will cram as much office/retail/residential in as they can get approved, parking will be limited b/c the approving pols hate cars and think everyone will ride metro there, and egress from the center will be limited to lights at sunrise valley and maybe a ramp heading south on reston pkwy.
        If the county was smart(they aren’t), the approval of this development would be contingent on the Town Center pkwy underpass being funded to connect Sunrise Valley and Sunset Hills

    • Greg

      Among more and better shopping choices, South Lakes has plenty of parking and it’s free.

      • TRS

        Definitely not plenty. No parking is the main reason I avoid the area.

        • Why do you bother?

          I have never not found a parking space. Perhaps not as close to my destination as I would prefer, but hey – first-world problem.

        • Greg

          Well, the solution to that is to tear the place down, bury the parking in decks below or around high-rise development. Retail on the first levels above parking and obgobs of “workforce” housing above that. Might even be wise to put a parking deck over that so-called lake. It is, after all, little more than a storm-water management apparatus.

          That, of course, will be approved in no time by the county while the DRB pontificates over incandescent lighting and unflattering brown color palettes.

          And, like my fellow word-nerd WDYB, I never not found a parking space at South Lakes village center.

          Finding edible fresh food in the slimy Safeway, however, is always a challenge.

          • Why do you bother?

            Blech. I avoid that Safeway as I would the plague.

    • Rational Reston

      The future Wegmans is actually 5 golf shots, a soccer goal kick, and a really good baseball outfielder’s throw from Wiehle Metro.

      • TRS

        Wegmans will be closer to me than Safeway is now.

  • Scott

    People need to relax. The place clearly needs a facelift and there is tons of unused concrete littering the place. The parking is a PITA, but not sure what to do about it without major interruption or reduction in spaces. At the very least, give the owner some credit for trying to make the place more appealing.

    • Why do you bother?

      Yo, Scott – telling people to relax is among the most counterproductive “instructions” ever.

      • Scott

        Please reread and note that I didn’t tell anyine to relax. It was a general comment. Big difference. Eh. Forget it. Why do I bother?

        • Why do you bother?

          How is “People need to relax” NOT telling people to relax?

          P.S. No.

  • dick

    I believe the plan approved by the DRB removed the “recreational” elements (ping pong etc) at the request of the neighbors who felt this would increase the noise level already present from the restaurants…it’s basically a landscape plan and some additional sitting areas…very well designed.

    • Rational Reston

      Yes. I remember the discussions about the maelstrom of noise that ping-pong would make and that it would attract unsightly groups like ping-pong playing teenagers.

  • Mike M

    Where’s the bocci court? 😉

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